US Extends Qatar Camp Housing 1,039 Afghans Awaiting Resettlement

DID Press: United States has agreed to extend the operation of Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar for another nine months, delaying the closure of the facility where 1,039 Afghans who assisted the U.S. war effort and their family members have been waiting for resettlement.

The camp had been scheduled to close on Wednesday, coinciding with the end of the U.S. fiscal year. A U.S. official told The Associated Press that the administration had agreed to extend the camp’s operation for nine months, although it was initially unclear whether Secretary of State Marco Rubio had personally signed the diplomatic note to Qatar.

The residents include Afghan interpreters and others who worked with U.S. forces during the war in Afghanistan, as well as relatives of U.S. service members. According to AfghanEvac, 752 of the 1,039 residents are women and children.

The extension provides a temporary reprieve for the residents and delays the possibility of their return to Afghanistan while U.S. authorities continue discussions over resettlement options in the United States or third countries. The U.S. State Department said it would continue working to identify options for the voluntary resettlement of all Camp As Sayliyah residents.

The prospects for relocation to the United States, however, remain uncertain. AfghanEvac said that only five Afghans had been admitted to the United States since October 2025.

The U.S. State Department has said it is working toward a “positive resolution” that would allow the remaining residents to begin new lives outside Afghanistan while maintaining U.S. security considerations.

Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac, has described the extension as a positive development for residents, while stressing that the long-running situation requires a permanent solution.